Method and apparatus for leveling and shearing metal stock



Dec. 6, 1932. NERSEN METHOD AND APPARATUS Fon LEvsLme AND surname METAL srocK T w N w h w M m t e A 9 h s A! 9 2 9 1 5 l l I l I I l l l I 1 l l 1| n J 0 e l i F L. IVERSEN Dec. 6, 1932.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LEVELING AND snmmme mam. sTocK Filed Jul 15, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR L. i'vERsEN 1,890,221 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LEVELINGAND SHEARING METAL STOCK Dec. 6, 1932.

Filed July 15, 1929 5 Sheets$heet 3 INVENTOR L. IVERSEN Dec. 6, 1932.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LEVELING AND SHEARING METAL STOCK Filed July 15, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Dec. 6, 1932. L. WERSEN 1,890,221

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LEVELING AND SHEABING METAL S TOCK Filed July 15, 1929 ssneets-sheet 5 .6. fly 5 U/EQ 24 Patented n... s; 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE a LORENZ IVERSEN, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 MESTA MACHINE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LEVELING AND SHEARING METAL STOCK Application filed July 15,

This invention relates to the cutting of metal stock into predetermined lengths, and is for a machine wherein the stock is first leveled and then sheared, the levelin and shearing mechanisms being combined and co-related to facilitate changes in the lengths to which the stock is being cut.

Sheet and strip stock is now generally produced in long lengths, and to facilitate handling and storing it is formed into coils u on being delivered from the finishing stan of the mill in which it is produced. To prepare this material for use it is necessary that it be leveled or flattened and then sheared into the desired lengths.

Generally, the flattening and shearing operations are performed independently, although machines have been proposed to perform these operations in a continuous manner by combining a leveler with a shear suited for cutting while the stock is in motion. By starting and stopping the shear for each cut and by varying the time lapse between successive startings of the shear it is possible to permit more or less stock to pass through the shearbetween cuts, thus to vary the lengths of the sheared pieces. The speeds of the machines in such an arrangement are therefore limited by the time required to accelerate and decelerate the moving. parts of the shear. When cutting relatively short lengths, the ipeeds and the output are of necessity very According to the present invention I provide a machine wherein a roll leveler for flattening the stock is combined with a rotary shear, the two being interconnected through a speed changing gear box. With such an arrangement the variation in the lengths to be cut is accomplished by varying the rotative speed of the shear heads in relation to the delivery speed of the leveler. It is contemplated that this variation in the relative speeds may be efiected either by varying the speed of the leveler with relation to the shear or by varying the speed of the shear with relation to the leveler, or both.

To provide against marking of the stock during its passage through the leve er and the shear, I have spaced the leveler and shear 1929. Serial No. 378,205.

a suflieient distance apart to allow the stock to form a loop between the two units, this loop taking care of the stock when the shearing unit is operating at a speed different from the operating speed of the leveler unit.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown one embodiment of my invention, but it will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the construction particularly shown, the drawings merely showing a present preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of the mechanism;

Figure 2 is an end view of the mechanism shown in Figure 1 viewed from the delivery side of the shear;

t Figure 3 is a side elevation of the appara- Fi ure 4 is a vertical section throu h the gearbox, this view being a section in siibstantially the plane of line IVIV of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a similar section in substantially the plane of line VV of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view in substantially the plane of line VIVI of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic View showing the loop in the stock between the shear unit and the roll leveler unit;

Figure 8 is a vertical section in the of line VIII-VIII of Figure 2; and

Figure 9 is a detail view of a portion of the plane driving gear.

In the drawings, 2 designates a roll leveler unit, which is preferably of the type disclosed in my copending' application Serial No. 374,374, filed June 28, 1929, but which may be of any other suitable or preferred construction. Spaced from the delivery end of the roll leveler unit 2 is a rotary shear unit 3, this rotary shear unit preferably being of the type disclosed in my United States Letters Patent No. 1,749,430 of March-4, 1930. Interposed between the two units is a stock guide 4 (see Figure 7).

The roll leveler unit 2, which comprises two seriesof horizontal rolls, one series of which is spaced below the other, is provided with a drive shaft 5 through which the various rolls 100 ries one or more knives 3c. The rotary shear unit is provided with a driving coupling 6.

According to the present invent1on, the two drive shafts 5 and 6 are connected with a common driving motor 7 through a gear box 8, which gear box is desi ned to permit of a variation in the speed 0 one of the units with res set to the other. I n the particular embodiment shown, the motor 7 has its shaft 9 connected throu h a coupling 1Q with a shaft 11 in the gear box, this shaft 11 being shown in detail in Figure 6. The shaft 11 carries a ear 12 which meshes with a gear 13 on a sha t 14 in the gear box 8. The gear 12 also meshes with a gear wheel 15 on a shaft 16 in thegear box 8.

Located abovethe shaft 14 in the gear box 8 and parallel therewith is a shaft 17having an end portion which projects outside the gear box and which is provided with a coupling 18 adapted to be coupled to the shaftfi for driving the rotary shear unit 3. On the shaft 17 is a series of graduated gears 19.

Slidable along the shaft 14 and keyed there to is a gear 20; A tumbler gear 21 is pro- .vided which meshes with the gear 20 and which also meshes with one of the gears in the graduated series 19. A shifting mechanism 22 of a well-known type is provided for shifting the tumbler gear 21 selectively into engagement with any one of the gears 19. Thus by selectively setting the tumbler gear 21, the speed of rotation 0 he shaft 17 can be conveniently varied with respect to the speed of rotation of the shaftl l, thereby changing the speed of the rotary shear with respect to the speed of the driving motor 7 Located above the shaft 16 and parallel therewith, is a shaft 23 having a gear 24 thereon, which gear is slidable along the shaft 23 and is keyed thereto. Meshing with the gear 24: is a tumbler gear 25. On the shaft 16 is a'series of graduated gears 26. At 27 is a shifting mechanism by means of wh ch the tumbler gear may be meshed with any one of the gears 26, this tumbler gear and its shifting mechanism being of well-known construct on. The shaft 23 is provided with a coupling'28 by means of which it is connected to the drive shaft 5 of the roll leveler unit. By adjusting the gear shifter 27, the speed of rotat on of the shaft 23 can be varied with respect to the speed of the driving motor, so that the speed at which the leveler is operated can be varied.

with respect to the speed of the driving motor 7 and to the speed of the shear.

In the arrangement shown, it will be seen that by operation of the gear shifting mechan sm 22 the speed of the shear can be changed with respect to the speed of the relatively leveler, and by; shifting the mechanism 27, the speed of t e leveler can be varied with respect to the speed of the shear.

To illustrate the operation of my machine, it may be assumed that the shear knives'meet and out once for each revolution. This will be readily understood by reference to Figure 7. It is (then apparent'that if the surface speed of the leveler rolls and the speed of the shear knife ed es are equal, that the length of the cut will e equal to the circumference of the circle described by the shear knife edges Hence, to increase the length of stock out off, it is only necessary speed of the shear knife ed es with relation to the surface speed of the i crease the speed at which the leveler delivers the stock.

To decrease the ion th of stock cut-off, the speed of the knife e ges must be. increased to the delivery speed of the leveler, or the delivery speed of the leveler may be decreased wit reference to the operating speed of the shear.

The speed adjustment according to the present invention, can be readily accomplished through the OPGIEtlOIFOf either of the gear changing units 22 or 27, or both, as the case may be.

, in the operation of the mechanism, the stock designated A in Figure 7 passes through the roll leveler unit 2 and is delivered to the shear 3, being guided by the gu de 4. The two units 2 and 3 are spaced a suflicient distance apart to allow the stock to sag or form a loop between the units 2 and 3. When the speed of the leveler and the speed of the shear are the same, the stock will normally sag to a limitedextent, occupying the full line position shown in Figure 7 of the drawings. This 100 0r sag is referred to as the normal loop. Vhen the delivery speed of the leveler and the speed of the shear kn fe edges are equal, this normal loop will remain unchanged throughout the entire run of the machine. This is because of the fact that the cutting speed is the same as the delivery speed.

When the speed of the shear knife edges is less than the delivery speed of the lever, the contour of the loop will grow during the instant of cutting, the loop, for example, dipping down to the position of the dotted line B in Figure 7, which is below the normal loop. Immediately after the knives have cut, the material is free to move between the rotating shear heads and the stock will resume the contour of the normal loop A.

The dotted line C represents the contour at which the loop will arrive during the instant of cutting when the speed of the shear knife is greater than the delivery speed of the leveler. This is due to the fact that at the moment of shearing a tension will be exerted on the stock which will tend to overcome the eveler, or to in- I to decrease the i ill normal sa in the stock. Just as soon as the metal has l een sheared, the stock will return to the contour of the normal loop due to the fact that it is no longer gripped between the rotating shear heads.

It should be understood that the invention is not limited to rotary shears which make one cut for each revolution. By varying the ratio of diameters of the two heads carrying the shear knives, the shears can be made so that the knives will not register on each revolution of the head, but will only come into cooperative relation every second, third or fourth revolution, or even less frequently, as may be desired. By using more than one knife in a shear head the cutting can be effected in a fraction of a revolution of the head. This is explained in my said United States patent referred to.

The invention provides a convenient mechanism for leveling and cutting metal stock into lengths, and a variation in the length of metal being out can be readily made. Furthermore, variation in the speeds can be obtained by varying the operating speed of themotor 7 and simultaneously adjusting one or the other of the speed changing units. For instance, the motor might be slowed down to slow up the delivery. speed of the leveler, while the gear shifting unit 22 'could be adj usted to speed up the operating speed of the rotary shear unit.

The invention therefore provides an exceedingly flexible arrangement for leveling and cutting the stock, and the metal isnot marred by reason of the'fact that a sufiicient loop can be provided between the leveler and the shear to prevent the stock from bein jerked or pulled irreglarly through the leveler.

The invention is not confined to the particular type of flying shear which has been illustrated and is specifically described. The term flying shear as used in the claims signifies any shear which runs continuously at av uniform speed when cutting a strip or bar into uniform lengths and the knives of which travel in the direction in which the strip or bar travels during the time interval of the actual cutting.

It will be understood that I have specifically described a preferred embodiment of my invention, but that the invention is not limited to the particular construction and arrangement herein specifically described.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of leveling and shearing metal strips and bars, which comprises the steps of leveling the stock in a leveler, delivering the stock from the leveler to a flying shear, and normally maintaining a loop in the stock between the leveler and the shear.

2. The method of leveling and shearing metal strips and bars, which comprises the steps of leveling the stock in a leveler, de1iv-- delivering the stock to ering the stock to a flying shear, normally maintaining a loop in the stock between the leveler and the shear, and varying the curvatureof the loop at the moment of shearing.

3. The method of leveling and shearin metal strips and bars,- steps of leveling the stock in a leveling unit,

a flying shear, varying the relative speed of the leveler and that of the shear, normally maintaining a loop in the stock between the leveler and the shear, increasing the length of the loop at the mo ment of shearing when the speed of the shear g which comprises the is relatively lower than the delivery speed of the leveler, returning the loop to normal after the operation of shearing, decreasing the loop at the moment of shearing when the speed of the shears is relatively greater than t e dehvery speed of the leveler, returning the loop to normal after the shearin operatlon, and maintaining a normal loop tween the leveler and the shear constant when the speed of the shear is equal to the delivery speed of the leveler.

4. Apparatus for leveling and shearingmetal stock, comprising a leveling unit. a. flying shear unit adjacent the delivery end of the leveling unit, and means for selectively varying the operating speed of one unit with respect to the other to a predetermined extent.

5. Apparatus for leveling and shearing metal stock, comprising a flying shear unit and a leveling unit, and a,common drive including speed change means for the two units.

6. Apparatus for leveling and-shearing and a leveling unit,-common driving means for the two units, and means for varying the speed of one unit relatively to the other.

7. Apparatus for the two units, and means for selectively varying the speed of either unit relatively to the common driving means.

8. Apparatus for leveling and shearing for leveling and shearing: metal stock, comprlsing a flying shear unit and a level ng unit, common driving means g metal stock; comprising a flying shear unit metal stock, comprising aflying shear unit,

a leveling unit, a common driving means for the two units, and looping means interposed between the two units.

-9. Apparatus for leveling and shearing metal stock, comprising a flying shear unit,

a leveling unit, a common driving means for the two units, and looping means comprising an inversely inclined guide interposed between the two units.

10. Apparatus for leveling and shearing metal stock, comprising a flying shear unit, a leveling unit, and means for driving the shear unit including a speed changing means.

11. Apparatus for leveling and shearing metal stock, comprising a flying shear unit,

a leveling unit, and means for driving the means.

12. Apparatus for leveling and shearing metal stock, comprising a leveling unit, a flying shear unit, means for driving both of said units, and means for varying the speed of one of the units relatively to the other.

13. In a leveling and shearing machine, a leveling unit, a flying shear unit, and a speed changing unit interconnecting the leveling unit and the shearing unit for selectively con- -'trolling their relative operating speeds.

14. In a leveling and shearing machine, a leveling unit, a flying shear unit through which the stock to be sheared passes, driving means, and a gear box interconnecting the driving means with both of said units, said gear box including a selectively operable speed changing mechanism for varying the s eed of operation of one of the units relatively to the other.

ing connection with said shearing means, a

roller leveler for feeding material to said shearing means, and a varlable speed driving connectlon between said motor and said roll-, er leveler.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

LORENZ IVERSEN.

15. Ap aratus for leveling and shearing metal strips, comprising a levelinglunit having rolls, a flying shear unit, a driving unit, a speed changing gear operatively interposed between the driving unit and the leveling unit, and a speed changing gear operatively interp osed between the driving unit and the shear unit. I

16. Apparatus for leveling and shearing metal stock, comprising a shear unit having a pair of revolving heads with shear knives thereon, a leveling unit, a common driving means for the two units, and looping means interposed between the two units.

17. In a leveling and shearing machine, a leveling unit, a shearing unit having rotatable heads with knives thereon between which the stock to be sheared passes, driving means, and a gear boxinterconnecting the driving means with both of said units,.said gear box including a selectively operable speed changing mechanism for varying the speed of operation of one of the units relatively to the other.

18. The combination with flying shear means for shearing material, of a roller leveler and pinch roll system for feeding material to the shearing means, and means operable at will forvarylng the relative speeds of said system and said shear means.

19. The combination with rotary shearing means, of a roller leveler and pinch roll system for feeding material to the rotary shearing means, driving means for said shearing means and said system, and speed changing means between the driving means and the parts driven thereby.

20. In a shearing apparatus, shearing means, a motor for drivmg said shearing means, a rolling leveler, feedmg means, and

an adjustable drivebetween saidmotor and said feeding means.

21. In a shearing apparatus, shearing means, a motor havmg a variable speed driv- 

